Thanks, I completely didn't realize that locking exposure is essentially shooting in Manual mode. Knowing that will make it much easier. I'll definitely post what I get from the next game I'm able to shoot.

jeremyclarke wrote:

justincarlson wrote:

Is there a way to lock exposure without having to hold down the AEL button? I feel like if I didn't have to worry about the exposure on every shot I could focus more on getting the focus right.

It was already stated by others but I'll chime in to say that the explicit answer to your question is simple: Manual mode.

Maybe I'm biased because I almost always prefer manual mode in all contexts (though it makes me a dork who is always messing with dials and chimping with my Rebel), but the hockey situation you're describing sounds like a particularly good situation for manual mode.

You're sitting still in a stadium where the lighting is relatively constant across the subjects you want to photograph, so once you have a good exposure for the ice+players, there's little reason you'd need to change any of the ISO/aperture/speed settings. Some shots might be slightly under/overexposed as you move the camera around, but it will be nothing compared to the wild variations you'll get from auto exposure as the amount of ice/boards/players changes depending on what you point at. On top of that you're filming fast moving action, which means it's extra important that you conserve bandwidth for ensuring good focus and composition (and thinking about things like burst mode). Avoiding having to think about exposure will probably make your experience a lot more fun and productive

Don't forget to post us a new shot that's perfect because of all our advice